Driving Lesson
by read-a-holic17
Summary: Based on the prompt from @holbycasualtyprompts over on tumblr "Rita reveals to Iain that she can't drive, he decides to teach her, in an ambulance." So this fic will be loosely based on the prompt but will be over about 4/5 chapters. BBC own casualty and all the characters. my story from my imagination! COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**So a new Riain fic! have writers block on Found out and any help gratefully appreciated! Hope you enjoy this!**

Chapter 1

"Iain I have a confession." Rita came out of the kitchen, of Iain's flat, saying one morning on their day off.

"Ok, am I going to like it?" Iain asked, taking a seat, what the hell was she going to say? A mixture of thoughts rushed through his mind. Pregnant? Ill? Found someone else? Moving away? His heart rate was climbing and he could feel himself getting hotter. What was it?

"I can't drive." Rita confessed shamefully. Her head hung low, she hadn't ever needed to before.

Her parents couldn't afford it when she was 17, she couldn't afford it when she was at university on top of her living costs, Mark had driven when they were married, and she had always lived in a city so public transport was perfectly adequate. But having met Iain, having seen him drive the ambulance, she felt rather jealous. He had no limitations, nowhere he couldn't go. They had driven to the beach the other week and she had felt bad, as Iain had had to do all the driving. It was time she learnt.

"Is that it!?" he laughed, "I thought it was something serious!" he smiled, standing up, he snaked his hands around her waist and giving her a peck on the lips. Thank goodness, he thought to himself, he loved this woman so much, if anything bad had happened, how would he cope?

"Iain, this is serious. I want to learn!" Rita said, leaning into Iain's embrace.

"You want to learn, alright. I'll teach you." Iain suggested, realizing that this was really important to her.

"You will! Aw you're the best!" Rita smiled, a slight jump of excitement not going unnoticed happened. She reached up on her tip-toes and kissed him.

"I'll call my insurance company now and add you to my insurance." Iain said bending down and kissing her lips once again.

"OMG! Really! That's brilliant! Thank you!" Rita said clearly jumping with excitement now.

"Yeah, but you had better not destroy my car!" he joked.

"Well, I would say I promise not to, but I can't lie, I will try not to!" she said leaning into him.

"Well, at least your honest. Come on, ill give them a ring now and hopefully they will add you today."

An hour later.

"Reets! Come on! Grab your coat!" Iain called out to her.

"Really, now!?" Rita asked, emerging from the bedroom after a shower, buzzing with excitement.

"Yeah, come on! Lets go."

"Where are we going?" Rita asked as Iain drove her out of Holby into a more quiet area before Rita took the wheel.

"Just around outside the city."

They were driving for a few minutes more until Iain pulled into a residential area.

"Ok, are you ready?" Iain asked.

"Yeah, I cant wait!" Rita exclaimed.

"Ok, now remember, don't go to fast, and try not to crash."

They swapped sides and Rita set the car up as Iain stuck 'L' plates on the front and back of the car.

"Shortie," Iain smiled as she pulled the seat forward so she could reach the pedals.

Rita just smiled at him. How was she so totally in love with this doofus?

"Right, now gently." Iain said as Rita pulled off into the road.

Rita was focusing and didn't reply, so much to think about.

"Now how do you stop?" she asked as a 't' junction came up

"Clutch and break!" Iain said calmly. "Clutch then break, your in gear 1"

Rita fumbled with her feet, forgetting which pedal was which.

"Left and then middle!" Iain said, a little louder this time, the junction fast approaching and they weren't slowing down.

"I can't stop it." Rita panicked.

"Ok, calm down. Take your feet off the pedals." Iain said, trying to stay calm.

"Iain! Were going to crash!" Rita shouted.

Iain didn't reply. He pulled up the handbrake just as they got to the junction. The car came to a halt, with a massive jolt.

The car behind, not expecting Iain's car to come to a halt, but to continue around the junction slammed into the back of them, launching their car into the oncoming vehicle on from the right.

Rita and Iain were jolted forward the air bags exploding and Rita's head hitting the steering wheel, Iain's hitting the dashboard.

 **Yes, I've left you on a cliffhanger...**

 **Update tomorrow or this evening, haven't decided yet! Let me know your thoughts! xx**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you all for the lovely reviews on here and on tumblr! Glad you all seem to be enjoing this so far!**

 **I've included new paramedic Jez in this fic but Dixie also hasn't left. Obviously don't really know much about him so kinda made him up..**

 **I couldn't leave you too long on a cliff hanger so here you are! Chapter 2...**

* * *

Chapter 2

Iain.

Iain woke, groggy and with blurry vision. His head was banging. Placing his hand to his forehead he felt hot sticky blood, luckily it wasn't a lot.

Rita. Where was she?

"Hey, mate. Stay still, I've called an ambulance, don't try and move, that's what they say don't they? Them paramedics." A voice said from behind him.

"Who are you?" Iain asked.

"I'm the guy who rammed your back end. Sorry, wasn't expecting you to stop like that."

"Oh right, car crash. Crap. Is Rita alright?" He asked, he daren't move around, despite the urge he had to just check she was ok, he knew if he moved he could damage his spine.

"Your girlfriend?"

"Yeah," Iain agreed without thinking, she was his girlfriend, he loved her.

"She's still unconscious, I'm holding her neck still and her airways are clear. Just like they say to check on the first aid courses, you ever been on one?"

"I'm a paramedic mate, I've given those courses."

"Ah, well you'll know what to do then, stay still. I can hear the ambulance now."

* * *

"Iain?" Iain heard Dixie call out. She had a waver to her voice. This was obviously bringing back bad memories of Jeff.

"I'm alright Dix," Iain called out to reassure her, guessing that new paramedic Jez was riding with her he said, "Jez, get another ambulance here, and just let Dixie sit out of this one." He knew Dixie wouldn't be able to cope, seeing another of her paramedics and best friends in a car crash.

"Iain, what happened? Why was Rita driving? She can't drive!" Dixie exclaimed as she realised it was Rita in the drivers seat.

"I was teaching her. Hence the learner plates! Did everyone know but me?" Iain told her.

Dixie looked around, seeing the bonnet and whole front of Iain's car across the other side of the road, a learner plate poking out of the wreckage.

"Yeah, well, your cars not going to be being driven again, I tell you." Dixie said.

"Is she awake Dix?" Iain asked, not bothered about the car, only about Rita.

"No, not yet." She told him, fixing a collar round his neck.

"Please, Dix. Look after her."

"I'm on it." Dixie told him, swapping places with Jez.

"Iain mate!" came a familiar voice.

"Jez, wasn't expecting to see you today." Iain replied, great, the overexcited newbie.

"So, who's this? What happened?" Jez asked.

"Rita, 32, nurse in the ED, has been unconscious since the crash, that guys been holding her head for most of the time." Iain rattled off.

"Mate, I can ask him that. She your girl?" Jez smiled, knowingly.

"Yeah, but no one in the ED knows." Iain said, assuming Rita hadn't told anyone.

"Yeah, and what happened?"

"I was teaching her to drive, had to pull the handbrake to stop the car, and that guy came into the back of us, which knocked us into the main road where we were hit by another car." Iain explained. "Look, mate. I'll be fine it's just a bump, worry about Rita, please, make sure she's ok."

"Iain, Dixie is helping Rita. I'm helping you." Jez told him bluntly.

Iain didn't say anything more. Dixie would take care of Rita, no doubt there.

The other paramedic team arrived and helped Jez get Iain onto a spinal board, something he was not particularly a fan of, but knew the risks involved and also knew Rita would never forgive him if he refused it and he ended up paralysed.

Dixie watched as Iain was pulled from the car. He was out, safe. Now all she needed was for Rita to wake up.

"Dixie, is she awake? Tell me, please." Iain asked, as he was wheeled past her into the ambulance. His voice was one of concern and terror. It had been around 30 minutes since their crash.

"No, not yet, mate." Dixie told him, her eyes sad and head hung low.

"Don't leave her. I love her." Iain confessed.

"I know, I won't." Dixie said, returning to Rita as Jez closed the doors and Iain was driven off to hospital.

She felt guilty. She hadn't told Iain the truth, well, she hadn't exactly lied either. Rita was unconscious but she was also trapped. The steering wheel was pushing down on her legs. Rita's only way of getting to hospital for them to have the slightest chance to save her life was by being cut from the car...

* * *

"This is Iain Dean, 35, passenger in an RTC, he hit his head on the dashboard and lost consciousness for approximately 3 minutes, talking, not confused. Laceration to the forehead from impact, no spinal pain. He's refused all pain relief. GCS was 12 on arrival, risen to 14 in transit. BP normal." Iain told Lily, the paramedic who brought him in just smiling as he wheeled the trolley.

"Alright, Iain, were taking to resus and then to CT to rule out spinal damage." Lily told him.

"Whatever, just make sure Rita's alright." Iain told her, he was seriously worried about her. Dixie hadn't told him everything, he could tell.

"Rita?" Lily asked, confused.

"Yeah, she was driving. I'll pay for lessons next time!" Iain laughed for a split second, forgetting for a moment that Lily had no idea about their relationship and that Rita was still unresponsive.

Lily looked confused, so Iain clarified.

"Rita can't drive, so asked me to teach her." he sighed as he was moved from the trolley to the bed. He could only hope to pay for lessons.

"Of course." Robyn said under her breath, the conformation she needed that the text was meant for Rita, not her.

"We're going to roll you to your side to check for any damage now Iain, then we will get Max to take you to CT." Lily explained as they rolled him.

* * *

It had been a couple of hours since Iain had been brought in, he was in cubicles, head free from the neck brace and being stitched up by Lofty. He still didn't know anything more about Rita, no one was telling him anything and he had only just got off that stupid board so hadn't had the chance to look for her himself.

"So, an RTC?" Lofty asked as he had only just come on shift, missing Iain's explanation earlier.

"Yeah, not Rita's fault. I forgot to teach her to stop and the guy behind was going too fast…" Iain told him. It was all his fault. If anything happened to Rita he didn't know what he would do, how he would cope.

"What? Rita was driving? I thought you were?"

"Oh yeah, I was teaching her to drive."

"Oh, right. Well that's you done." Lofty told Iain.

"Thanks mate, look is there any way of finding out how Rita is? No one will tell me anything." Iain asked, he was desperate now. If Lofty left he could snoop around and find her.

"I'll see what I can do, not promising anything, though. Rita would have my head if I told you too much!" Lofty smiled, walking off to the nurse's station to see if Rita had been brought in yet.

* * *

"Ah, Dixie!" Lofty called out as he saw her pass by. Her head was low and eyes red.

"Not now Lofty, mate." Dixie told him, carrying on to the toilets.

* * *

 **So, thoughts? Love hearing from you! Next chapter tomorrow morning! xx**


	3. Chapter 3

**Not going to be able to update till Thurs/Fri so here you are! Thanks to all your reviews on here and on tumblr! Let me know your thoughts! x**

* * *

Chapter 3

"Reets come on, love. Open your eyes." Dixie repeated for what felt like the millionth time. She was in desperate need for the hospital, what she hadn't told Iain, was that Rita was trapped. The steering wheel was pressing down on her legs, her circulation was fine and nothing was bleeding but they couldn't get her out without the assistance of the fire brigade, which was on its way.

"How's she doing?" Jez asked as the ambulance with Iain in left the scene. It had been half an hour since they had arrived on scene and Rita was still unresponsive.

"She's not great." Dixie told him, her voice was wavering. She couldn't loose another friend.

"Here, let me take over, you just relax for a moment." Jez said, seeing she was clearly distressed.

Feeling guilty Dixie left Rita's side. "She can't die. She just can't." she repeated continuously under her breath as she took a moment to herself.

* * *

The fire service arrived and realising the urgency of the situation cut Rita out as quickly as they could.

Dixie refused to leave her side and sat in the car with her as the roof was cut off. Desperately trying to wake her.

Once the roof was off the dashboard was cut into sections and lifted, freeing Rita's legs.

Everything seemed to happen at once after that. Rita was slid onto a board with the help of the fire crew and Jez and put into the ambulance within seconds.

Dixie climbed into the back, Jez driving.

The sudden change of position and movement must have had an effect on Rita, she seemed to be responding to Dixie's voice.

"Rita, it's Dixie, can you hear me?" Dixie repeated once again.

Rita's eyes twitched then fell still once again. Her heart monitor sounded and she went into VF.

"No, don't you dare do this to me Reets!" Dixie shouted, starting compressions. "Jez, were loosing her." She yelled.

"Come on Rita." She told her best friend. "Think about Iain. He wouldn't cope without you. He's smitten. You can't leave him. You're just starting. I know you love him to missy so just come back. Come back for Iain. Come back for me. Don't you dare leave me Rita, I wont forgive you!" Dixie yelled, tears falling down her face and dropping onto Rita's lifeless body.

Dixie shocked her, nothing. She tried again.

"Come on Rita. Don't you dare leave me Rita, I wont forgive you. Come on now." She repeated and repeated and repeated.

* * *

Rita could hear a voice. It was angry. Dixie. She was yelling at her, what had she done?

"…don't you dare leave me Rita, I wont forgive you…"

What did Dixie mean? She wasn't leaving. Was she?

* * *

A faint but constant beep.

"Yes Rita, come on now, stay with me lovely." Dixie screamed, Rita was back. She wasn't stable but she was alive. Just.

"She still there?" Jez asked her from the front as he pulled into the ED.

"Yeah, she's still here. Just." Dixie said a small smile forming on her face. She hadn't lost her yet.

* * *

"Ok, Dixie what have you got for us?" Connie asked as the back of the ambulance was opened. "Rita…" Connie asked, slightly shocked to see her clinical nurse manager flat on her back, covered in blood and chest exposed, defibrillator still attached.

"Yeah, she's not in a good way Connie." Dixie told her.

Louise, Robyn and Lily had also come out to meet the ambulance. They had been avoiding Iain for the past hour, not knowing any news.

"Right, lets get her into resus." Connie told the team, knowing that the best chance for Rita was to have a professional team working on her.

* * *

"This is Rita Freeman, aged 32. Driver in an RTC. She hit her head on the steering wheel and lost consciousness around 50 minutes ago that hasn't been regained, she was stable at the scene but in transit lost all out put and then went into VF, after being shocked twice she re-entered normal rhythm which is occasionally crashing. Her legs were trapped under the steering wheel and dashboard, no penetrating wounds but bruising expected. She's had 20mg of morphine given through an IV line. GCS was 6 on arrival, and rose to 8 in transit after her incident. BP normal." Jez told the team as they wheeled Rita into resus.

"Ok, is everyone alright?" Connie asked before starting, Rita was in a bad way, this was going to take the best to make her better. "Louise?" She singled out, Louise although a capable nurse hadn't treated one of their own before.

"I'll be fine." She told Connie with certainty. This wasn't Rita, not her boss, just a patient.

"Good. Alright everyone lets transfer her over to the bed. On three. One, two three." Connie counted and they lifted her off the trolley and onto the bed.

"Thanks guys, Dixie. My office is open if you need it." Connie told the paramedic who still had tears falling from her eyes. They weren't close but Connie knew Dixie was reliving a nightmare and would need somewhere quiet to go.

Dixie just nodded. Leaving resus and Jez to clear away all their equipment. She headed to the toilets to gather tissue and clean Rita's blood off her.

* * *

"Ah, Dixie! Lofty called out as he saw her pass by. She just lowered her head and

"Not now Lofty, mate." Dixie told him, carrying on to the toilets.

* * *

 **Next chapter will be up either thurs/fri if I can finish writing it! Hope you like this, it will get fluffier soon! I promise! Reviews welcome! Love to know what you think!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Sooo sorry for the long wait! Thank you for all the lovely reviews, I have no medical training or that detailed knowledge of anything medical but do research and try and make everything as accurate as possible, as long as it fits with my storyline.**

 **This chapter is a little more hurt, a cute gesture from Rita and then some more heart wrench.**

 **Glad you all seem to be enjoying this so far (even if it has got you sat on the edge of your seat with fear for Rita) Hope this chapter was worth the wait! x**

* * *

Chapter 4

"We need to get her a head and neck CT scan asap, if shes got swelling on her brain, she going to need emergency surgery. Bloods, FBC's, U&E's, glucose and amylase, group and save please." Connie rattled off.

"Rita? Can you hear me?" she asked.

Rita's eyes flickered and opened momentarily.

"That's it, can you keep your eyes open for me? Come on now. That's it, stay with me. It's Connie. Keep your eyes open."

"Iain…" Rita mumbled, her head felt like it was on fire. Nothing looked right, all blurred and misty.

"Iain's fine, let us worry about him, you just focus on yourself." Connie reassured her, there was definitely something going on with them two. "We're going to take you for a CT scan now just to check every things alright." Connie explained.

Rita was struggling to keep her eyes open but knew she really needed to from her experience.

"That's it, keep looking at me." Connie told her, as they took her to CT. "Keep looking at me Rita, come on now, that's it. No, don't close your eyes for me. Keep them open Rita… Right no, we're loosing her again." Connie said as Rita's eyes closed and the monitors started bleeping. She jumped up onto the bed and started CPR.

* * *

Iain had given up waiting on Lofty for news. He needed to know where Rita was.

Making his was out of cubicles he saw Dixie go into Connie's office. What the hell? He thought to himself, why would Dixie be in Connie's office? He decided to follow her

"Dix?" he called when he opened the door.

"Iain!" She exclaimed, wiping her eyes. She had needed a moment to gather her thoughts, Connie offer of use of her office was gladly accepted, her office was too far away, she wanted to be there if anything happened.

Iain sat down next to her, his head falling to her shoulder. This was their way of comforting each other, when Dixie told Iain about the adoption agency turning her down it had been the opposite, Dixie head on Iain shoulder.

"What happened?" Iain asked, petrified of the answer.

"Rita, she crashed."

"Wh...what…? Tell me you got her back Dix. Tell me she's ok." Iain stuttered, swearing over and over in his head. He couldn't loose her.

"Yeah, I think she was coming round. Its not good Iain." Dixie told him.

Iain caught his breath. This was not what he had planned for his day off.

"She was trapped Iain, they had to cut her out." Dixie confessed, feeling guilty she hadn't told him earlier. "No cuts, except to her forehead, but her circulation was weak, I don't know anymore. You'll have to ask Connie."

"I will, are you alright?" Iain asked, desperate to see Rita but he didn't want to leave his friend alone.

"Yeah, go, tell her how you feel, make sure she knows." Dixie told him, fighting back the tears that wanted to burst out.

"Ok, I'll come find yous later." Iain told her, giving her a squeeze on her shoulder as he stood up to leave.

* * *

Rita was wheeled back into resus on the trolley, Connie on top performing CPR.

"Right, we need to shock her." Connie called, climbing off the trolley as Robyn arranged the de-fib pads on Rita's chest.

"Ready, everyone clear, shocking."

The tension in the room was so thick, everyone was willing Rita on, such a valued member of the team.

"Come on, don't give up. I know we haven't always seen eye to eye but you're a good nurse, you can't do this to me Rita, you can't do it to Dixie, and you can't do it to Iain. Yes, I know about you two, all your secret glances and sneaking off for a break just after he comes in with a patient. You can't leave him, not yet." Connie found herself telling the little blonde nurse that lay in AF on the trolley in front of her.

She wasn't in the habit of talking to her patients but this was Rita, the woman shed yelled at and fought with for months, the woman who almost sent her to jail, the woman who despite everything had never backed down, never given up and had so much more to give.

"Right lets try again. Charging to 120" Connie told the team when Rita's stats still didn't pick up.

"Everyone, clear, shocking."

The whole teams eyes were staring at the monitor.

Bleep, bleep, bleep.

The regular pattern continued. Connie let out a sigh of relief she didn't realise she had been holding in.

"Well done everyone, lets get her back into CT." Connie said, as she heard Robyn sigh. "Everyone alright?"

With a nod from Robyn, Louise and the other members of the team, they started to move to CT again.

"That's it Rita, stay awake that's it." Connie said as Rita started to come around again.

* * *

Iain exited Connies office as Robyn, Louise, Max and Connie were pushing Rita to CT scan.

"Rita…" Iain stuttered as he saw her.

"Iain, we're just taking her to CT. I'll come and find you in a minute." Connie said.

Robyn saw Iain's face, he was white, a blank expression.

"Iain, I'll stay with her, I wont leave her." Robyn assured him.

Iain couldn't move. He was stuck. Rita was laying there, her eyes fluttering open, pale. He was helpless.

Dixie had come out after him, her hand a light pressure on his shoulder, comforting. She took his hand and together they made their way back into the office.

* * *

Connie left Robyn and Zoe, who had just come on shift, with Rita. She needed to find Iain, he had looked as if he was going to pass out, and find out whom she needed to contact.

"Jack, I need Rita's next of kin details." Connie called out to the receptionist who was trying to remove a banana peel from his desk without touching it.

"All here for you darling." Jack chimed, handing her Rita's folder before returning to the task of removing the banana peel.

"It's Iain." Connie stated,

"Aw that's sweet, they're so cute together! Don't you think?" Jack exclaimed.

"I didn't think they were that official yet…" Connie said, smiling to herself, Rita had obviously fallen hard.

"Oh my word! You know! They're dating aren't they, have been for weeks, I thought someone had just forgotten to tell me." Jack told her, he'd thought they'd been dating since before he'd arrived and it was common knowledge, but everyone he'd asked about it was oblivious.

* * *

Lofty was at the nurse's station as Connie walked past.

"Mrs Beauchamp, Iain's been asking about Rita." He asked the consultant.

"I'm on my way to find him now. Thank you Lofty." Connie said, her voice was catching up with her now, the reality sinking in harder than normal, quavering.

Lofty was shocked, she wasn't normally so nice towards him, maybe something really bad had happened.

* * *

Connie made her way to her office, assuming Iain would be in there.

"Iain," Connie gently spoke as she saw Iain.

Sat, head in hands. Dixie next to him, identical.

"Connie, how is she." Iain asked, standing up. Dixie's head popping up too.

"She's having a CT scan at the moment. We would have already done one but she crashed again on the way. We got her back though and she was alert when I left her." Connie explained.

"Can I see her?" Iain asked, desperate to sit and hold her hand.

"Yes, when she's out of the scan she'll be put back in resus just as a precaution, I'll give you a few minutes. Did you know you're her next of kin?" Connie asked him.

"What? Um, no. She didn't tell me." Iain was shocked, but in some strange way it made total sense. He'd want her to know if he'd been hurt, no one else, well except his sister but what could she do, she lived miles away. Yes, he needed to change his next of kin details to match.

Dixie almost smiled. The little blonde pixie had fallen, hard.

"Well, you are. I'll come and find you when she's out of the scanner." Connie promised as she left the two alone.

"Thank you." Iain said, his voice wavering again.

Rita had died, twice. He didn't know if he would cope if it happened a third time, or if they would get her back.

* * *

 **Thank you all for reading! Sorry this was soooo late, as I explained on tumblr I went away and forgot my laptop so couldn't post. Update will be coming ASAP, back at school now so will be less frequent. Hope you all enjoyed this! Leave me a review x**


	5. Chapter 5

**New Chapter!**

 **I'm so sorry this has taken so long for me to write! I've been back at school and had hardly any time spare to write this! So this is the penultimate chapter (I think)! Hope you enjoy! It's a little shorter than previous chapter but the next one (final one?) will make up for it! Here you go!**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

* * *

Connie had made her way back to resus to wait for Rita to return with Zoe and Robyn. She wasn't going to lie, she was worried about the nurse.

Rita was wheeled back in, spinal brace and collar still in place.

"Zoe?" Connie asked the moment she saw the consultant with the ipad containing the scan images.

"Spines clear but she has a small bleed to her brain which explain why she was unconscious for so long, but it seems to have stopped now so we just need to relieve some of the pressure and she should start to feel better." Zoe told Connie pointing out the IPC on the scan.

"Right, Lets start her on IV Mannitol 20%, and now we know her spines clear a lumbar puncture and then lets get her out of this brace." Connie suggested, Zoe nodding in agreement. "Oh and a ECG, I want to know why she's crashed."

Rita was semi alert now. Her vision blurry and her body weak.

Iain, its all she could think of. Where was he?

"Hi Rita," Zoe said, making her way over to the nurse to explain what had happened, "how did this happen?"

Ritas speech was slow and weak, "Driving lesson, didn't go to plan." She told Zoe.

"Ah, doesn't look that way. Now, your spines clear but we've found an ICP on your brain. Its very small so we're going to do a lumbar puncture and give you some medication to reduce the swelling, then we'll get you out of this. Yeah." Zoe told her.

Rita smiled slightly. Her body weakness a side effect of the ICP.

Connie went off to find Iain, keeping her promise.

* * *

Iain and Dixie stayed in absolute silence. Dixie's breathing had slowly returned to normal and Iain's was following the same pattern.

"Its my fault." Iain told her, breaking the silence.

"Nah, it wasn't. If it was, it was the guy who went into the back of you. He was going way to fast and would've crashed even if you weren't there." Dixie reassured him.

"Yeah, but now Rita's never gonna want to drive again!" Iain told her.

"Mate, this is the same Rita we're talking about. She'd never stop doing something until she had conquered it." Dixie told him.

Iain didn't say anything. The silence returned. The pair both hoping Dixie was right.

* * *

Connie entered her office and Iain stood up once again.

"She's ok." Connie told him. "The scan of her spine and neck came back clear." She started with the good news.

"And her head?" Dixie asked, Iain seemingly incapable of speech, his mouth as dry as sandpaper.

"She has a small ICP, but it should sort itself out with the medication." Connie told them.

"If not?" Iain asked, his voice raspy.

"If not, she will need to go to theatre, but I'm positive that won't happen." Connie explained.

"Can I see her?" Iain asked.

"Of course, Zoe's just performing a lumbar puncture and an ECG but you can after that."

"Yeah, the moment she sees you mate her ECG will be all over the place." Dixie told him, wanting to make him smile.

It worked, for a moment.

Iain watched through the doors of resus as Zoe performed the lumbar puncture. Rita holding Robyn's hand and wishing it could be him there.

* * *

Once the ECG was done Iain was allowed to enter. He had surprised himself, thinking back not even a few months, he would have just barged in and ignored Connie's advice. He realised, watching Rita laying there, he was helpless, he couldn't change anything by marching in guns blazing. He was maturing, well in some ways, and he was ok with that.

"Hey," Rita smiled slightly, as he came over to the bed. "I'm sorry I killed your car."

"Yeah, you should be. Cost a bloody fortune." Iain said, pretending to be all serious for a moment.

Rita's face lost her smile.

"Hey, I'm kidding. It doesn't matter. Honest." Iain reassured her.

"Are you ok?" Rita asked him, noticing the cut to his forehead.

"I'm fine, don't you worry about me." Iain told her, taking her hand in his own and tightening his grasp.

Rita was hooked up to the IV line and removed from the neck and back brace, Iain staying by her side the entire time.

* * *

 **So thoughts? I know there will definitely be at least one more chapter if not two… Please review! They make my day!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you to all the reviews on the last chapter. I'm sorry I haven't updated in so long!**

 **I lied, there is one more chapter to come after this, that'll be up asap, I'm halfway through it!**

 **I'd also like to say that I have no medical training and no idea if what happens in this chapter could in real life but I needed it to for the purpose of the story and google (not reliable source) seemed to think it could happen so I made it happen.**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

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 **Chapter 6**

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Zoe watched from next to Rita's bed as she took 5 minutes obs.

Iain took Rita's had in his own, fingers tracing gently over each other, Rita carefully inspecting Lofty's handiwork as Iain told her repeatedly everything was going to be fine.

 **5 minutes.**

Iain and Rita not talking now, Rita's brace removed and IV in, her blood pressure was still quite low but was rising. Her echo showed no abnormalities in her heart but Connie was going to give it another go next obs. Zoe watched as Iain smiled, pressed a kiss onto her hand. She could see Rita blush only slightly, vaguely aware of her colleagues gaze but not really too bothered.

 **5 minutes.**

Zoe could see Iain's tired eyes, his pupils dilated and hazy. Rita a mirror image, forced to stay awake.

 **2 minutes.**

Iain's head fallen to the bed, his hand still entwined with Rita's. Eyes closed and breathing slowed. Rita running her hands through his hair, lightly as she rested back against the bed.

Her eyes were heavy but she wasn't allowed to sleep. She had to remain conscious.

Rita could feel conciousnes leaving her, she was fighting it. Iains hair a distrsaction bringing her back to reality with every touch. The urge was getting stronger. The light was too bright. It hurt. She knew she needed to stay awake but she couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. She fought and fought but the darkness consumed her.

* * *

Bleep Bleep Bleep Bleep Bleep

Iains head shot up from the bed, his hand falling from Ritas limp grasp. The alarms were beeping at him. A light flashing above the bed he didn't dare look down at. A sea of doctors and nurses ran in and he was lost.

He could hear someone talking to him, he thought it was Zoe but couldn't be even sure if it was female let alone what they were saying.

He felt a light pressure on his arm as he was helped out of the room. His eyes not daring to look at the figure lying on the bed.

* * *

"Zoe, Connie! Rita!" Robyn called out to the two doctors as Rita's alarms blared.

"What? She was fine two minutes ago…" Zoe exclaimed as she rushed into resus with Connie hot on her tail.

"She's in VF again, what's going on? Iain I'll come find you as soon as I can." Zoe told Iain as Louise took him out. In the split second she looked at him she could tell he was terrified. She needed to focus, she couldn't loose Rita.

"Right lets give her some adrenaline, lets get her heart started again before we go back to CT."

"She'll need an echo right away if were going to figure out what's going on." Connie said.

"Ok, but you can only do that once she's back with us." Zoe agreed, and Connie nodded in response.

Robyn stopped CPR and shocked.

The team held their breath.

"She back." Zoe sighed as she heard the familiar bleep of a rising heart rate.

"She's a fighter this one." Connie smiled, her previous personal feelings for the nurse forgotten, as she set up the echo machine.

"That's our Rita." Zoe said, as she saw Rita's eyes flicker open.

"Hello, welcome back." Zoe said, her hand on Rita's shoulder. "Connie's just going to give you another echo, then we're going to take you to CT. Do you want me to get Iain back?" Zoe explained.

Rita nodded slowly. Still not fully awake.

Zoe gave Rita's shoulder a final reassuring squeeze and headed off to find Iain.

* * *

Iain couldn't breathe. His chest tight. Heart pounding. He didn't know what to do.

He saw Dixie.

Their eyes met.

Face falling she tried to get to Iain before he fell.

Jez, caught him.

"Alright mate, lets get you back to your cubicle." Jez reassured, Iain relying strongly on his new-found friends strength.

* * *

Zoe found Iain in cubicles.

He'd had a panic attack. Not his first and most probably not his last. His breathing now normal and heart rate back to a steady rhythm. Dixie and Jez sat by his side.

"Iain," Zoe started. " She's ok, Connie's performing another echo and then she's getting another CT but we got her back, and a lot faster this time." Zoe told him.

"What happened?" Dixie asked.

"We don't know, hopefully Connie will find something." Zoe said, crossing her fingers herself. "She's asking for you, when you're ready." Zoe smiled at Iain as she left the trio alone.

* * *

Iain made his way into resus. Still scared to look down at the bed but with Dixie and Jez behind him, Dixie's hand on his shoulder he managed it.

Rita, sat propped up on the bed, wires, lines and more coming out of her but he didn't care. The smile on her face as she saw him was everything. Her cheeks rosy against her still pale face promising the life he had thought he'd lost.

Connie was stood by the bed looking at her clipboard.

"Reets." Iain sighed as he took hold of her hand, still half expecting it to be limp like before. She squeezed it back, and the smile that erupted on Iain's face was everything to Rita. He was everything.

"Ee." Rita smiled back.

Their eyes only for each other, they didn't catch the glance shared between Dixie and Jez at their nicknames.

"Well, as much as I'm loving this reunion I've got other patients to see so shall we?" Connie asked, trying to resume her proffesional stance.

"Yes, Zoe said aomthing about an echo or CT?" Iain asked. His eyes now focused on Connie but hand and fingers still entwined with Rita's, he never wanted to let go.

"Yes, she's had both. The CT showed that the ICP has reduced with the medication which is a positive sign and means that we shouldn't have to perform surgery and your lumbar puncture came back clear as well." Connie explained. "Your first echo showed no abnormalities but your second which was performed just after your output returned showed that you had a clot in your veins which restricted the blood flow and consequently the heart stopped until we managed to clear it." Connie told them.

"Why?" Iain asked.

"Well, Dixie, you said Rita's legs were trapped?" Connie asked Dixie.

"Uh, yeah, she had to be cut out."

"Well, the blood flow in your lower legs would have been restricted due to the pressure of the steering wheel on them, the blood would have formed tiny clots as the pressure built up. When the pressure was released as you wer cut out the blood would have rushed up and around your body, the smaller clots causing no harm but the larger clots causing a blockage and in turn making your heart stop. I expect that when you crashed in the back of the ambulance the first clot had made its way into your left atrium, and subsequently the same for the other 3 times you crashed." Connie told Rita.

"Will it happen again?" Iain asked.

"Well, were going to put you on warfarin, Rita, which will thin your blood. We can only use a low dosage as we don't want your ICP to build up again but it should be enough to reduce and stop your heart stopping again." Connie told Rita, but expected she already knew, letting Iain ask the questions to reassure him it was going to be fine.

"Thank you." Iain said as Connie finished.

"You're still on 5 minute obs nurse Freeman but I'll leave you two alone for a minute." Connie smiled as she left resus.

"We'll go grab a coffee Ee," Dixie smiled as she teased them.

"See ya, nice to meet you Reets." Jez joined in, watching as the pair he had only met recently smiled as they ignored their friends and focused on each other.

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 **Ok so one more chapter. Thanks for reading, leave a review? X**


	7. Chapter 7 (FINAL CHAPTER)

**Ok final chapter! I can't believe I've finished this! I've loved writing it and hope you have all enjoyed reading it!**

 **Let me know what you want to see next!**

 **Hope you enjoy this last chapter!**

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 **Chapter 7**

It was four days later and Rita was being discharged. Iain had been off work since the accident but still found himself at the hospital every day, sat by Rita's bedside as they laughed, joked and spent time together.

Rita had crashed twice more in the ED but the warfarin had taken affect after that and she had been fine ever since. The pressure on her brain had been reduced by medication alone and the doctors were pleased with her progress.

"Right Nurse Freeman, time to go home." Iain announced as the charge nurse signed her discharge papers.

"Home?" Rita smiled.

"Ah, well, I have a spare key that's in need of a key ring and a wardrobe that is in need of use, not to mention a kitchen that could really do with being cooked in." Iain confessed.

"Mr Dean, are you asking me to move in?"

"Well, I know it's a horrible thought!" Iain smiled, as he helped her finish packing her bag.

"Mmm, I don't know…" Rita sighed, pretending to be debating over the offer when in reality she had already made up her mind the moment he'd utter 'home'.

Iain stared at her; he was unsure what was going on. His heart breaking more and more the longer she left him without an answer. It was too soon. He'd ruined everything. He turned away, focus back on packing.

Rita smiled to herself. She noticed Iain's disheartened face and the smiled went. She placed her hand on his cheek, turning his face towards her.

His eyes failing to meet her own.

She stretched up onto her tiptoes, his face cupped in her hands. She brought their lips together in a gentle kiss.

"Of course I'll move in with you silly." Rita told him as she broke away, their foreheads still touching, eyes locked onto each others'.

"Really?" Iain asked her, the smile on his face growing ever so slightly.

"Really." Rita assured him, watching as Iain's smile erupted and his lips came crashing down on Rita's once again.

Jez cleared his throat from the doorway.

"Um, that's enough guys, come on, young eyes watching." Jez said, pulling a face.

"Young eyes?" Rita asked, looking around.

"He means himself, come on lets go home." Iain sighed at Jez's pathetic attempt at a joke.

Rita smiled at Jez, "What are you doing here?" she asked.

"Giving you a lift." He said, picking up the bag Iain had finished packing and heading off out.

"Well, Dixie's on shift and you kinda trashed my car." Iain explained.

"I'm sorry." Rita said, her face falling again.

"Rita, its fine. It wasn't your fault. I'm making a joke, it doesn't matter to me at all. All that matters to me is you, and that you are safe." Iain told her, his arms wrapping around her and his lips placing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Really?" Rita asked.

"Really." Iain reassured her.

He gave her one final kiss to her head and linked their fingers.

* * *

Jez had dropped them off at Iain's flat.

"I'm not going to have any clothes, all my stuff…" Rita started to say.

"It's fine, I borrowed your spare key when I went to get you some clothes for the hospital, I brought most of your clothes here." Iain told her.

"Thank you." Rita smiled, she placed a kiss on his lips. "So, you were pretty certain I'd say yes to moving in then?" She said as she walked inside.

Iain went bright red, if Rita hadn't have said yes he didn't know what he would have done.

* * *

The pair were cuddled up on the sofa as they watched a rerun of friends on the telly.

"Come on, lets get you to bed missy." Iain said as the credits rolled.

"Our bed." Rita smiled.

"Yes, our bed, in our bedroom, in our home." Iain smiled back.

Their hands intertwined and faces close.

Rita went to lean in. Their bed needed to be christened officially theirs didn't it.

Iain pulled back. "Early night for you. Bust day tomorrow." Iain declared as he turned the TV off and started tiding up their mess.

"What are we doing tomorrow?" Rita asked, the disappointment evident in her voice.

"Your second driving lesson silly." Iain told her as he picked up a pillow.

"What?" Rita asked, she wasn't ready. She'd barely recovered from the last one.

"Yeah, Jez's dropping an ambo off for us to use."

"Iain…"

"Reets relax, I'm not that stupid and inconsiderate, it's a joke." Iain told her as his lips came crashing down on hers.

Rita smiled, as he lifted her up. Her legs wrapped around his torso, their lips locked. He carried her into the bedroom they now called theirs and the door slammed behind them.

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 **So it's finished! Hope you have all enjoyed it and this chapter made up for all the hurt and pain I caused you in the beginning! Please leave me a review! x**


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